Image forming apparatus and method of controlling image forming apparatus

ABSTRACT

According to an embodiment, an image forming apparatus which stores settings for use in performing job processing includes: a display; and a storage which stores a setting history related to settings of past job processing, and a collective setting in which settings related to job processing are registered collectively. The image forming apparatus further includes: a setting controller which displays a setting history screen including the setting history on the display, displays on the display, in response to selection of the setting history, a setting screen reflecting setting contents based on the selected setting history, and displays a registration button to perform processing to register the collective setting on the setting screen; and a registration controller which performs the processing to register the collective setting in response to an operation on the registration button.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to, for example, an image formingapparatus which stores settings for use in performing job processing.

Description of the Background Art

Image forming apparatuses, such as multifunction machines, include onesthat have job settings registered in advance, and execute a job bycalling the settings.

A technology of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.2018-125686 discloses that “setting contents are registered by selectionof a setting history of a job, whereby the registration is displayed asa custom button and can be read out easily”.

In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-125686,the settings temporarily stored via a setting history of a job arere-registered as a custom button for permanent reference. However, it ispossible that the timing at which the registration is enabled will bevaried depending on a case where the registration is made from thesetting history and a case where the registration is made otherwise.Also, if the same certain operation procedure is conducted in both caseswhere registration is made from the setting history and whereregistration is made otherwise, a redundant operation is to be performedby the registration through selection of the setting history. Forexample, if the user himself/herself is to set the registration name,not only the operation itself is troublesome, but various names are alsocreated according to the user, and it may also become unclear that theregistration is made from the setting history. Furthermore, even if theuser took the trouble of performing registration processing from thesetting history, there are cases where the settings are alreadyregistered, and the operation may end up in vain.

In view of such circumstances, the present disclosure aims to provide animage forming apparatus and the like with which an operation procedureis performed easily and efficiently when making registration to acollective setting related to job processing from a setting history of ajob.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is characterized in that in an image formingapparatus which stores settings for use in performing job processing,the image forming apparatus includes: a display; a storage which storesa setting history related to settings of past job processing, and acollective setting in which settings related to job processing areregistered collectively; a setting controller which displays a settinghistory screen including the setting history on the display, displays onthe display, in response to selection of the setting history, a settingscreen reflecting setting contents based on the selected settinghistory, and displays a registration button to perform processing toregister the collective setting on the setting screen; and aregistration controller which performs the processing to register thecollective setting in response to an operation on the registrationbutton.

Also, the present disclosure is characterized in that in a method ofcontrolling an image forming apparatus including a display, and astorage which stores a setting history related to settings of past jobprocessing, and a collective setting in which settings related to jobprocessing are registered collectively, the method includes: a settingcontrol step of displaying a setting history screen including thesetting history on the display, displaying, in response to selection ofthe setting history, a setting screen reflecting setting contents basedon the selected setting history on the display, and displaying aregistration button to perform processing to register the collectivesetting on the setting screen; and a registration control step ofperforming the processing to register the collective setting in responseto an operation on the registration button.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the numberof operation steps at the time of registering/reflecting a setting, oreasily confirm important information. Therefore, the present disclosurebrings about an advantage of preventing the trouble caused by a settingchange for a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of animage forming apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of theimage forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating job program registration processingof the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating registration name input processingfor a job program of the image forming apparatus according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a home screen displayed ona display of the image forming apparatus according to the firstembodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a default setting screendisplayed on the display of the image forming apparatus according to thefirst embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a setting change of asetting screen displayed on the display of the image forming apparatusaccording to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a name input screendisplayed on the display of the image forming apparatus according to thefirst embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a setting history screendisplayed on the display of the image forming apparatus according to thefirst embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a setting screen aftertransition from the setting history screen displayed on the display ofthe image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating registration name input processingfor a job program of an image forming apparatus according to a secondembodiment.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a name input screendisplayed on a display of the image forming apparatus according to thesecond embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating processing of displaying a programname in a setting history of an image forming apparatus according to athird embodiment.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a setting history screendisplayed on a display of the image forming apparatus according to thethird embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below withreference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the followingembodiments have been presented by way of example only, and thetechnical scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims isnot limited by the description given below.

1. First Embodiment

An image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment is anapparatus which displays, when a setting history is to be registered ina job program or when setting contents are changed from a default, aprogram registration button which allows registration to be made in ajob program, thereby indicating to a user that program registration withrespect to job setting is enabled.

The “job program” pertains to a technology for permanently storing thesettings related to a job by hand, and indicates a collective setting inwhich the settings related to job processing are registeredcollectively. In a use case where a regular job is executed repeatedlyby a job program, as the user calls and executes the job program, thesetting can be made collectively. Accordingly, there is an advantagethat the number of steps for the setting at the time of executing thejob can be reduced.

In addition, the “setting history” pertains to a technology forautomatically storing the settings related to a job. When the imageforming apparatus performs job processing, information related to thejob operation is stored as a job operation history. While theinformation related to the job operation includes respective pieces ofsetting information, the job operation history does not assume reusingthe setting information. Therefore, the image forming apparatus extractsthe setting information from the job operation history, and stores theextracted setting information as the setting history.

1.1 Overall Configuration

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of animage forming apparatus according to a first embodiment.

An image forming apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is an MFP(Multifunction Printer), and includes a plurality of kinds of modesrelated to job processing.

A job processing mode is a mode that can realize general functions suchas copying, faxing, and scanning functions. When the image formingapparatus 10 is in a copy mode, a copy job can be executed. When theimage forming apparatus 10 is in a fax mode, a fax job can be executed,and when the image forming apparatus 10 is in a scan mode, a scan jobcan be executed.

The copy job will be briefly described below.

First, a document is set on a document reader 130, and a copy operationis performed by means of an operator 160. A user can confirm, on adisplay 150, the set document size, paper size, and copy settings (e.g.,settings for single-sided printing, double-sided printing, and aggregateprinting).

When the user performs the operation of start through the operator 160,copy processing is executed. Specifically, the document reader 130 readsthe document set by the user. A controller 100, which will be describedlater, generates image data from the document read by the documentreader 130.

An image former 140 generates an image based on the image data on asheet of paper conveyed from a paper tray 1410, and outputs the paperwith the image formed thereon to a paper discharge tray 1420. In thepresent embodiment, the paper refers to a recording sheet or recordingpaper on which images are formed. The paper includes not only plainpaper, but also various paper media, such as thick paper and glossypaper, and a film or the like that allows an image to be formed thereon.

Next, the fax job will be briefly described below.

When fax transmission is to be performed, a document is set on thedocument reader 130, and a fax transmission operation is performed bymeans of the operator 160. The user can confirm the set document sizeand transmission settings (transmission destination fax number, etc.) onthe display 150.

When the user performs the operation of fax start through the operator160, fax processing is executed. The controller 100, which will bedescribed later, performs procedures for communication with acommunication counterpart by a communicator 170 to be described later.Further, when a transmission-enabled state is ensured, the controller100 performs necessary processing, such as changing the compressionformat of a compressed file to be transmitted to the communicationcounterpart, and then performs the processing of sequentiallytransmitting the compressed file to the communication counterpart via acommunication line.

Also, when a fax is to be received, the controller 100 to be describedlater receives the compressed file transmitted from the communicationcounterpart while performing the procedures for communication by thecommunicator 170 to be described later, and applies decompressionprocessing to the received compressed file by acompression/decompression processor not illustrated. Then, various kindsof image processing are applied to image data, and the image data isoutput to the image former 140. The image former 140 forms, on the basisof the output image data, an output image on recording paper.

In addition to the fax mode, it is also possible to transmit, as thefunction of transmitting document image data which has been read, thedocument image data by e-mail to an address stored in a storage 120 tobe described later.

Next, the scan job will be briefly described below.

First, a document is set on the document reader 130, and a scanoperation is performed by means of the operator 160. The user canconfirm the set document size and output image settings (image filetype, etc.) on the display 150.

When the user performs the operation of scan start through the operator160, scan processing is executed. Specifically, the document reader 130reads the document set by the user. The controller 100 to be describedlater generates image data from the document read by the document reader130.

The image forming apparatus 10 executes various jobs while combining theabove-described functions (i.e., the copying function, the faxingfunction, and the scanning function). Here, each time the user performsan operation input of the setting for a plurality of setting items ofeach job, due to an auto-complete function, setting values previouslyset by operation are automatically extracted from the job operationhistory and are displayed as the setting history.

As regards the job processing mode of the image forming apparatus, whenthe user operates the operator 160 to activate the job processing mode,the controller 100 of the image forming apparatus 10 causes an initialscreen of the job processing mode that has been activated on a screen ofthe display 150 to be displayed. At this time, initial setting values ofthe setting items are displayed, and the setting items are configured tobe changeable through the operator 160.

1.2 Functional Configuration

1.2.1 Image Forming Apparatus

A functional configuration of the image forming apparatus 10 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram showingthe functional configuration of the image forming apparatus according tothe first embodiment.

The controller 100 is a functional part for controlling the imageforming apparatus 10 as a whole. The controller 100 implements variousfunctions by reading and executing a control program stored in thestorage 120, and is composed of one or more arithmetic devices (forexample, a central processing unit [CPU]), and the like. The functionsimplemented by the controller 100 will be described below.

The controller 100 includes a setting processing function of performingsetting processing, an image forming processing function of performingimage forming processing, and the like. The controller 100 executes thecopying function, the faxing function, the scanning function, and thelike, as the image forming processing function.

The controller 100 is provided with a setting controller 101, and aregistration controller 102.

The setting controller 101 controls processing related to job setting.

The registration controller 102 controls processing of makingregistration in a job program.

The storage 120 is a functional part where a program and data arestored. The storage 120 is constituted of, for example, a semiconductormemory such as a solid state drive (SSD), or a hard disk drive (HDD).

The storage 120 stores setting history data 121 and job program data122.

The document reader 130 reads an image of a document, and is composedof, for example, a scanner device including a device that convertsoptical information into electrical signals, such as a contact imagesensor (CIS) or a charge-coupled device (CCD).

For example, the document reader 130 reads the document placed on aplacement table within a range set by the document size. Note that thedocument may be set on the placement table or may be set on an automaticdocument feeding device (ADF: Auto Document Feeder).

The image former 140 is a functional part for forming image data on arecording medium (for example, a recording sheet). For example, arecording sheet is fed from the paper tray 1410 shown in FIG. 1 , andafter an image has been formed on the surface of the recording sheet atthe image former 140, the recording sheet is discharged from the paperdischarge tray 1420. The image former 140 is composed of, for example, alaser printer or the like using an electrophotographic method.

Also, one or more paper trays 1410 are usually provided to store sheetsof paper therein.

The display 150 displays various states of the image forming apparatus10, and also displays the state of operation input. For example, thedisplay 150 is composed of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic ELpanel, or an electronic paper using an electrophoretic method.

The operator 160 is a button, a switch, or the like that receives anoperation input from the user. The operator 160 may be realized by ahardware input device such as a switch or a keyboard. Alternatively, theoperator 160 may be realized by a touch panel or the like that isintegrally formed with the display 150. In this case, a method ofdetecting an input on the touch panel may be a general detection method,such as a resistive method, an infrared method, an electromagneticinduction method, and an electrostatic capacitive method.

The operator 160 of the present embodiment is provided with a hardwareinput device and a touch panel of the display 150, and the respectiveelements can be operated individually.

The communicator 170 is a functional part which performs communicationwith other devices. For example, it suffices that the communicator 170includes an interface connectable to a network, and can communicate withanother device via a wired/wireless local area network (LAN). Image datamay be sent to or received from another device (for example, a universalserial bus [USB] memory stick) via a USB interface or the like. Also,the communicator 170 can be connected to a communication network such asa public network, a local area network (LAN), or the Internet, and acompressed file can be transmitted externally via the communicationnetwork by a communication method using facsimile or e-mail, forexample.

The image forming apparatus 10 may further be provided with a necessaryfunction in addition to the above-described structures. For example, theimage forming apparatus 10 may be provided with such a managementportion as a billing management portion which allows the image formingapparatus 10 to be used only when a fee is paid by the user.

1.3 Flow of Processing

The setting processing of the image forming apparatus will be describedwith reference to FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating jobprogram registration processing of the image forming apparatus accordingto the first embodiment.

In each of the following embodiments, an example regarding registrationof a job program in the copy mode will be described. However, theexample is not limited to the above, and can be applied to the case ofthe other modes.

The image forming apparatus 10 displays a copy setting screen on thedisplay 150 (step S102). The setting controller 101 in the controller100 of the image forming apparatus 10 confirms whether the screen hastransitioned to the copy setting screen as a result of selection of asetting history (step S104).

If the screen has not transitioned to the copy setting screen as aresult of selection of the setting history (step S104: NO), the settingcontroller 101 displays a program call button on the display 150 (stepS106). The setting controller 101 checks whether the user has made anychange to the setting items of the copy setting screen (step S108). If asetting change has been made, the setting controller 101 displays aprogram registration button (step S110).

If the screen has transitioned to the copy setting screen as a result ofselection of the setting history (step S104: YES), the settingcontroller 101 displays the program registration button (step S110).

The registration controller 102 in the controller 100 of the imageforming apparatus 10 confirms whether the user has pressed the programregistration button (step S112). If the user has pressed the programregistration button, the registration controller 102 performsregistration name input processing for the program (step S114). In otherwords, the processing of entering the file name of a job program isperformed. Further, the registration controller 102 performsregistration processing for the job program (step S116).

Next, the registration name input processing for a job program of stepS114 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating theregistration name input processing for a job program of the imageforming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

The registration controller 102 in the controller 100 of the imageforming apparatus 10 displays a name input screen for job programregistration (step S122). A blank is displayed in an input item for aname by default (step S124). The user enters a registration name (a filename), and when the registration controller 102 confirms the entry (stepS126), the processing proceeds to step S128. The user presses a namedetermination button, and when the registration controller 102 confirmsthe pressing (step S128), the processing is ended.

1.4 Operation Examples

A specific example of the setting processing of the first embodimentwill be described on the basis of operation screens of FIGS. 5 to 10 .

As illustrated in FIG. 5 , a plurality of mode icons 201 are displayedon a home screen 200 displayed on the display 150, and operation icons202 are displayed on the right side of the screen. When the user pressesa copy mode icon 201 a, the screen transitions to a copy setting screen220 as shown in FIG. 6 .

On the copy setting screen 220, various setting items 221 (color mode221 a, image quality 221 b, paper selection 221 c, double-sided copy 221d, magnification 221 e, copy density 221 f, sort/group 221 g), anumber-of-copies input display 230, a paper layout diagram 240 of theimage forming apparatus, a preview button 231, a reset button 232, amonochrome start button 233, and a color start button 234 are displayed.

Default setting contents are to be displayed in the various settingitems 221. In addition, “1” is displayed as the number of copies of thenumber-of-copies input display 230.

On the upper right side of the screen, a “Program Call” button 250 isdisplayed, and a job program can be called by pressing the button 250.

As shown in FIG. 7 , as inputs are made to the various setting items 221and the number-of-copies input display 230, whereby the settings arechanged from the default, the “Program Call” button 250 is changed to a“Program Registration” button 255. By this change, the user is informedthat the changed settings can be registered in a program.

When the “Program Registration” button 255 is pressed, the screentransitions to a file name input screen 260 as shown in FIG. 8 . Thefile name input screen 260 includes a “Cancel” button 262, an “OK”button 263, an input display field 264 for the file name, and a softwarekeyboard 265.

The user can enter a file name in making program registration bypressing the desired key on the keyboard 265 being displayed. When theinput is completed and the “OK” button is pressed, the file name of thejob program is determined, and the program registration is executed.

In the above, explanation has been given for the registrationprocessing, which is to be performed when registration of a job programis performed by changing the settings from the default on the copysetting screen 220 and the screen transitions to the file name inputscreen 260. However, there is a method of registering a job programdifferent from the above.

Such a method corresponds to a case where the screen transitions to asetting history screen 270 as shown in FIG. 9 by pressing of a settinghistory icon 202 a on the home screen 200 of FIG. 5 .

The setting history screen 270 includes a “Back” button 272, settinghistories 274 a to 274 d, and up and down scroll buttons 275 a and 275 bfor the setting history. In the respective setting histories 274,pinning icons 276 a to 276 d indicating selection thereof are displayed.If the pinning icon 276 is white, it indicates that the setting historyin question is not selected, whereas if the pinning icon 276 is black,it indicates that the setting history in question is selected. Thepinning icons 276 a, 276 c, and 276 d are white, which means thatpinning is not made, and the pinning icon 276 b is black, which meansthat pinning is made.

Although the setting histories are erased if the number of settinghistories exceeds a certain level, they can be kept by the pinning. Inthis way, the pinned setting histories that have been set can be keptremaining and be available for use. However, if the pinned settinghistory is to be used frequently, it may be better to register thatsetting history as a job program.

Therefore, the setting history 274 b with the display of the icon 276 bindicating the pinning is selected by an operation such as a double-tapor a long press. This operation may be set arbitrarily. Then, the copysetting screen 220 reflecting the setting contents of the settinghistory 274 b as shown in FIG. 10 is displayed. In this case, the“Program Registration” button 255 is displayed, and the user is informedthat registration to the job program is enabled. The “ProgramRegistration” button 255 may be colored or may be made to blink, forexample, so that it is displayed to be noticeable to the user. When the“Program Registration” button 255 is pressed, the file name input screen260 of FIG. 8 is displayed, and the user enters the file name.

The pinning of the setting history 274 b which has been registered inthe job program is cancelled, and the pinning icon 276 b becomes white.

The selection of the setting history for which the job programregistration is to be made is not limited to the pinned settinghistories, but unpinned setting histories may also be allowed to beselected. In addition, it is possible to have the setting historywithout a pinning function selected and registered in the job program.

The registered setting history may be processed as described below.

The registered setting history may be left as a setting history as itis, or may be left in such a state that the order of priority fordisplay is lowered. Also, the registered setting history may be deleted.As described above, the user may be allowed to choose whether to keepthe registered setting as the setting history or delete such a settinghistory.

It is also possible to tentatively leave the setting history as it is,and control the display thereof according to the user's tendency (suchas which of the setting history and the job program is used morefrequently). For example, which of the setting history and the jobprogram is used more frequently is determined over a certain period oftime. If the frequency of use of the setting history is low, the settinghistory is deleted, whereas if the frequency of use of the settinghistory is as high as a certain level, the setting history is left as itis.

In addition, the embodiment may be configured such that a folder/tabhaving the name “Job Program Registered”, for example, is automaticallygenerated on the setting history screen, and the folder/tab allows thesetting histories registered in the job program to be displayedcollectively.

1.5 Advantageous Effects

Thus, when the screen transitions from the setting history screen to thesetting screen, the “Program Registration” button is displayed on thesetting screen reflecting the setting contents of the setting history.Therefore, not only can the user be informed that program registrationis enabled, but it is also possible to immediately proceed to theregistration processing. Meanwhile, when the screen transitions from ascreen other than the setting history screen to the setting screen, the“Program Registration” button is not displayed until the settings arechanged from the default. Therefore, the user is not informed thatprogram registration is enabled until the “Program Registration” buttonis displayed, and it is not possible to proceed to the registrationprocessing.

2. Second Embodiment

An image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment is anapparatus which adopts, when the setting contents of the setting historyare to be registered as a job program, a registration name indicatingthat the registration is made from the setting history.

A configuration of the image forming apparatus is the same as that ofthe first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

2.1 Flow of Processing

Job program registration processing of the second embodiment is the sameas the processing of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , and thusdescription thereof is omitted.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating registration name input processingfor a job program of the image forming apparatus according to the secondembodiment.

A registration controller 102 in a controller 100 of an image formingapparatus 10 displays a name input screen for job program registration(step S222). The registration controller 102 confirms that the screenhas transitioned to the setting screen by selection of a settinghistory, and that no setting change has been made (step S224). If thiscondition is not satisfied (step S224: NO), a blank is displayed as adefault name (step S226). If this condition is satisfied (step S224:YES), as a default name, a name indicating that the program is ofsetting contents of the setting history is displayed (step S228). Forexample, “History_(set time of the setting history)” is applied as thename.

The registration controller 102 confirms whether a name determinationbutton has been pressed (step S230), and if the button has been pressed,the processing is ended.

2.2 Operation Example

A specific example of name input processing of the second embodimentwill be described on the basis of a name input screen of FIG. 12 . It isassumed that in the image forming apparatus 10, the screen hastransitioned to the copy setting screen 220 of FIG. 10 by selection ofthe setting history 274 b displayed on the setting history screen 270shown in FIG. 9 , as in the first embodiment, on a display 150. When the“Program Registration” button 255 of FIG. 10 is pressed, theregistration controller 102 causes the screen of the display 150 totransition to a registration name input screen shown in FIG. 12 . Atthis time, an input display field 264 is displayed as“History_2019/6/27-14:00:20”.

When the screen transitions to the copy setting screen 220 by selectionof a setting history, the registration controller 102 displays in theinput display field 264 a name by which the specific setting history ofthe setting contents can be identified. Here, the characters “History”representing a setting history, and “execution time of the job of thehistory” for identifying the setting history are used as a default name.The user can use a software keyboard 265 to modify the default name.

2.3 Advantageous Effects

In this way, when the screen transitions to the setting screen byselection of a setting history on the setting history screen, a name bywhich the setting history can be identified can be preset as theregistration name for a job program. Therefore, the user need not toinput the name each time, and the number of operation steps can bereduced. In addition, since the name is based on a certain rule, itbecomes easy to identify the cited setting history.

3. Third Embodiment

An image forming apparatus according to a third embodiment is anapparatus which displays, when a setting history displayed on a settinghistory screen is that registered in a job program, a file name of thejob program for the setting history registered in the job program, forthe purpose of indicating a linkage between the setting history and thejob program. A configuration of the image forming apparatus is the sameas that of the first embodiment, and thus description thereof isomitted.

3.1 Flow of Processing

A display of a registration name of a job program in a setting historywill be described with reference to FIG. 13 . FIG. 13 is a flowchartillustrating processing of displaying a file name of a job program in asetting history of the image forming apparatus according to the thirdembodiment.

A setting controller 101 in a controller 100 of an image formingapparatus 10 confirms whether the setting history icon 202 a of the homescreen 200 shown in FIG. 5 has been pressed (step S302). If pressed, theprocessing proceeds to step S304, and setting histories stored in astorage 120 are compared with setting contents of job programs (stepS304). Then, it is confirmed whether there is a job program whosecontent matches with the setting contents of the setting history (stepS306). If there is a job program whose content matches with the settingcontents of the setting history, the registration name of the jobprogram (i.e., a file name of the job program) is displayed in a displayportion of the setting history of the setting history screen (stepS310). In this way, the user is informed that there is a job programhaving the same content.

If there is no job program whose content matches with the settingcontents of the setting history, the contents of the setting historiesare displayed as they are (step S308).

3.2 Operation Example

A specific example of processing of displaying a registration name of ajob program in a setting history of the third embodiment will bedescribed with reference to the setting history screen of FIG. 14 .

In the image forming apparatus 10, it is assumed that the settinghistory icon 202 a of the home screen 200 shown in FIG. 5 is pressed,and the screen has transitioned to a setting history screen 270 of FIG.14 , on a display 150. The screen transitions to the setting historyscreen of FIG. 9 in the case of the first embodiment, but what isdifferent in the third embodiment of FIG. 14 from FIG. 9 is the displaycontent of a setting history 274 b. In the setting history 274 b of FIG.14 , a job program registration name (i.e., a file name of the jobprogram), which is “Job Program ‘For Approval Document Copy’” isdisplayed, and the contents of the setting history are not displayed.

When the image forming apparatus 10 compares the setting contents of thesetting history 274 b of setting history data stored in the storage 120with the respective setting contents of job program data, it is foundthat the setting contents of the setting history 274 b match with thecontent of a job program having the name “For Approval Document Copy”.Therefore, instead of displaying the setting contents of the settinghistory 274 b, the registration name of the matching job program isdisplayed.

3.3 Advantageous Effects

As described above, instead of displaying the setting contents of thesetting history, the registration name of the job program whose contentmatches with the setting contents is displayed. By this feature, it ispossible to inform the user that there is a job program whose contentmatches with the setting contents, and prevent the user from performinga registration operation of a job program with the same settingcontents.

4. Modification Example

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings, but the specificconfiguration is not limited to the configurations of the presentembodiments, and designs or the like to the extent that they do notdepart from the gist of the present invention are also included in thescope of the claims.

It is also possible to select a plurality of setting histories andregister them as a job program. In this case, the selected settinghistories can be registered as a single job program, or the selectedsetting histories can be registered as job programs individually.

Further, if the selected setting histories include settings that have anexclusive relationship (e.g., color and monochrome), basically, theselected setting histories are registered as job programs individually.However, if the user wishes to register the selected setting historiesas a single job program, the user may be allowed to select which of thesettings should be kept.

In addition, the program to be operated on each apparatus in theembodiment is a program which controls the CPU or the like (i.e., aprogram for causing a computer to function) so as to implement thefunctions of the above-described embodiments. Moreover, informationhandled by these apparatuses is temporarily stored in a temporarystorage device (for example, a RAM) when being processed, and thenstored in various storage devices such as a ROM and an HDD, where theinformation is read, corrected, and written by the CPU as needed.

Here, a recording medium for storing the program may be any as long asit is a non-transitory recording medium such as a semiconductor medium(for example, a ROM, a non-volatile memory card, and the like), anoptical recording medium/magneto-optical recording medium (for example,a digital versatile disk (DVD), a magneto optical disk (MO), a Mini Disk(MD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc (BD)),and the like), or a magnetic recording medium (for example, a magnetictape, a flexible disk, and the like). Further, not only are thefunctions of the above-described embodiments implemented by executingthe loaded program, but the functions of the present invention may alsobe implemented by processing performed in cooperation with an operatingsystem or other application programs, etc., on the basis of theinstructions of the program.

Furthermore, if the program is to be distributed to the market, theprogram may be stored in a portable recording medium for distribution,or transferred to a server computer connected via a network such as theInternet. In this case, a storage device of the server computer is alsoincluded in the present invention as a matter of course.

In addition, a part of or all of the apparatuses in the above-describedembodiments may be realized as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), whichis typically an integrated circuit. Respective functional blocks of theapparatuses may be individually formed as a chip, or may be partially orwholly integrated and formed as a chip. In addition, a method ofachieving the integrated circuit is not limited to the LSI, but may berealized by a dedicated circuit or by general-purpose processor. Inaddition, when a technology for achieving the integrated circuit whichsubstitutes for the LSI emerges as a result of the progress of thesemiconductor technology, it is of course possible to use an integratedcircuit based on such a technology.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming apparatus which stores settingsfor use in performing job processing, the image forming apparatuscomprising: a display; a storage which stores a setting history relatedto settings of past job processing, and a collective setting in whichsettings related to job processing are registered collectively; asetting controller which displays a setting history screen including thesetting history on the display, displays on the display, in response toselection of the setting history, a setting screen reflecting settingcontents based on the selected setting history, and displays aregistration button to perform processing to register the collectivesetting on the setting screen; and a registration controller whichperforms the processing to register the collective setting in responseto an operation on the registration button, wherein the settingcontroller: restricts displaying of the registration button when thesetting screen is not displayed by a transition from the setting historyscreen, and the setting controller displays the registration button ifthe setting contents are changed on the setting screen.
 2. The imageforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the registrationcontroller causes a registration name, which is a name registered inperforming the processing to register the collective setting, to be aname indicating that the name is based on the setting history.
 3. Theimage forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the registrationname includes character information based on the setting history, andtime when job processing associated with the setting history has beenexecuted.
 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe setting controller compares setting contents of the setting historyread from the storage with setting contents of the collective setting,and when the two compared setting contents match, a registration name ofthe collective setting is indicated in the setting history displayed onthe setting history screen.
 5. A method of controlling an image formingapparatus comprising: a display; and a storage which stores a settinghistory related to settings of past job processing, and a collectivesetting in which settings related to job processing are registeredcollectively, the method comprising: displaying a setting history screenincluding the setting history on the display, displaying on the display,in response to selection of the setting history, a setting screenreflecting setting contents based on the selected setting history,restricting a display of a registration button when the setting screenis not displayed by a transition from the setting history screen;displaying, on the setting screen, the registration button to performprocessing to register the collective setting if the setting contentsare changed on the setting screen; and registration controlling ofperforming the processing to register the collective setting in responseto an operation on the registration buttons.